CATALYSIS OF THE OLIGOMERIZATION OF O-PHOSPHO-SERINE, ASPARTIC-ACID, OR GLUTAMIC-ACID BY CATIONIC MICELLES

Treatment of relatively concentrated aqueous solutions of O-phospho-se rine (50 mM), aspartic acid (100 mM) or glutamic acid (100 mM) with ca rbonyldiimidazole leads to the formation of an activated intermediate that oligomerizes efficiently. When the concentration of amino acid is reduced tenfold, few long oligomers can be detected. Positively-charg ed cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide micelles concentrate the negatively -charged activated intermediates of the amino acids at their surfaces and catalyze efficient oligomerization even from dilute solutions.